How To Choose The Best Smart Scale For You

A scale doesn't seem like a product that requires an elaborate decision-making process before purchasing. You step on it, it shows a number that tends to be bigger than imagined, and you promptly step off it. But like any other fitness equipment, scales have been given the smart treatment like other home devices, and the various customizations can make them a useful tool in any health regimen. They do more than just display your weight; deciding how to choose the best scale can be the difference between wanting to step on the scale and storing it in the closet.

A smart scale comes with numerous health features that can measure heart rate, body fat percentage, and muscle mass, among other metrics, and will often track your health progress with attached apps. There's plenty to consider when you step on it, so how do you choose the best smart scale? We looked at some of the well-reviewed and cost-effective scales on the market, from simple approaches to highly customizable features.

When looking for a smart scale, it's best to consider what you want from it and how it may fit into your health goals. Some smart scales contain a few features to track basic measurements, and others feel like personal trainers packed into scale form. If you're beginning a fitness regimen and want a simple approach without too many overwhelming bells and whistles, the Wyze Smart Scale or the iHealth Nexus Smart Scale may be a good choice.

Both are well-reviewed and cheaply priced scales under $40 that measure weight, body fat percentage, lean body mass, water weight, and eight additional body measurements, which can be synced with corresponding apps to track your progress over time. Reviewers find the features easy to set up and use, and they even allow you to track up to eight users for others in your household, which is certainly useful.

For those well into a specific health regimen and wanting more advanced features, a smart scale like the Etekcity will certainly fit the bill and be one of the nicest things in your bathroom. It tracks many of the same metrics as the aforementioned models, suggests custom meal plans and exercise routines, and syncs with fitness apps. But what distinguishes the scale further is that you don't need to look at your phone for those measurements because the scale displays them right there. The Etekcity will show tracked progress on weight and muscle mass and numerous other metrics in a color display, with easy-to-read graphs and supporting messages to boot.

This Runstar scale expands on that display feature, with the understanding that regularly glancing down at your fitness progress on a scale may be a tad grating on your neck after a while. So, the Runstar includes a color display on a retractable handle that allows you to view your measurements without looking down. Along with the handle, it can measure 20 body metrics, store up to 24 users, and even recognize the user when stepped on, with basic functions for beginners and customizations catering to athletes.

Stepping on a scale is certainly a nervous prospect, but these popular and highly-rated scales seem to be taking the scale from the least popular item in the bathroom to a useful tool that you actually want to look at.